Wildlife in Florida

Angeline Scotten

Senior Wildlife Assistance Biologist

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Agenda

Agency Overview

Captive wildlife

Identification

Non-native species in Polk

County

Nuisance wildlife

Feeding rule

Contact information

Questions Crested caracara, photo curtsey of Ron Bielefeld

FWC overview

State Wildlife Regulatory

Agency

– Protects and manages:

More than 575 species

of wildlife

More than 200 native

species of freshwater

fish

More than 500 species

of saltwater fish

FWC overview

Mission: managing fish and

wildlife resources for their

long-term well-being and the

benefit of the people.

Public responsibilities:

– Law enforcement

– Research

– Management

– Outreach

Captive Wildlife

Captive Wildlife

FWC enforces the statutes and

regulations governing Florida’s wildlife

industry

FWC officers routinely conduct

inspections to ensure compliance

Additional information:

– http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/captive-

wildlife/

– 850-488-6253

– CWInfo@myfwc.com

Captive Wildlife

FAC 68A-6 covers possession of wildlife in captivity and

permit requirements

– Categories

– Possession/ transfer

– Sales

– General regulations

– Public contact

– Caging requirements

– Etc.

Captive Wildlife

Florida requires permits for wildlife possession, exhibition

and sale

Commercial and private facilities must have permits for many

types of native & nonnative animals

– Includes zoos, circuses, alligator farms, pet shops, tropical fish

farms, rehabilitators

– Anyone who owns a Class I,II or III animal

Captive Wildlife- Class I

Class I Wildlife- Those that pose a

significant danger to people

Substantial experience and

specific caging requirements must

be met

Permits are required for public

exhibition

Prohibited from personal

possession*

*Unless the animal was possessed before August 1, 1980 or on or before August 27, 2009 for cougars, panthers or cheetahs

Captive Wildlife- Class I

Baboons

Bears

Black caimans

Cape buffalo

Cheetahs

Chimpanzees

Cougars, panthers

Crocodiles

Drills & mandrills

Elephants

Gavials

Gibbons and siamangs

Gorillas

Hippos

Hyenas and aardwolf

Jaguars

Komodo dragons

Leopards

Lions

Orangutans

Rhinos

Snow leopards

Tigers

Captive Wildlife- Class II

Class II Wildlife- can also pose a

danger to people

Substantial experience and

specific caging requirements

must be met

Permits are required for public

exhibition, sale or personal

possession

Captive Wildlife- Class II

African golden cats

African hunting dogs

Alligators, caimans

American badgers

Binturongs

Bobcats

Caracals

Cassowary

Clouded leopards

Douc langurs

Dwarf crocodiles

European and Canadian lynx

Fishing cats

Giraffe & okapi

Guenons

Guereza monkeys

Honey badgers

Howler monkeys

Idris

Indian dholes

Langurs

Macaques & Celebes

black apes

Managabeys

Ocelots

Old world badgers

Ostrich

Patas monkeys

Sakis

Servals

Snub-nosed langurs

Tapir

Temminck’s golden cats

Uakarus

Vervet, grivet or green

monkeys

Wild cattle; forest,

woodland and aridland

antelope & similar

*non-native hoofstock

Wolverines

Wolves, coyotes &

jackals

Captive Wildlife- Class III

Permit required for personal

possession, exhibition or sale

Any non-domesticated wildlife

species that’s not Class I or II

Includes but not limited to: parrots,

finches, skunks, foxes, geckos,

snakes and frogs

No formal list but…

Captive Wildlife- Class III

Button quail

Canaries

Chinchillas

Cockatiels

Doves: ringed, ruddy and

diamond

Ferrets (domestic; European)

Finches

Gerbils, hedgehogs

Guinea pigs

Hamsters

Honey possums, sugar gliders

Lovebirds

Moles; shrews

Myna birds

Parrots

Prairie dogs

Rabbits

Rats and mice

Reptiles or amphibians

(nonvenomous, unprotected species

that are NOT listed as endangered,

conditional, etc)

Shell parakeets

Squirrels; chipmunks

Toucans

The following species do not require a permit for personal possession as long as no other

rule or statute applies

Captive Wildlife- Conditional reptiles &

lizards

Not allowed to be acquired

for personal possession

Dealers, exhibitors,

researchers and trappers

may apply for a permit to

import or possess

conditional snakes and

lizards

Indian or Burmese python

Reticulated python

Northern African python

Southern African python

Amethystine python

Scrub python

Green anaconda

Nile monitor

Captive Wildlife- Conditional nonnative

wildlife

Conditional reptiles

Red-eared sliders

Nutria

Some freshwater fish &

crayfish

FAC 68-5

Dangerous to the ecology

and/or health and welfare of

the people of Florida

Captive Wildlife- Venomous reptiles

All venomous reptiles in

class Reptilia belonging

to families:

– Elapidae

– Crotolidae

– Viperidae

– Hyprophiidae

FAC 68A-1.004 (87)

A license is required to capture, keep, possess or exhibit

any venomous reptile

All reptiles in the genus

Heloderma

All reptiles in the family

Colubridae belonging to the

genera: Rhabdophis

Boiga

Dispholidus

Thelatornis

Atractapsis

Captive Wildlife- Protected species

No person shall take, possess, or sell

and of the endangered or threatened

species and there parts thereof….

68A-27, Threatened & endangered

species

http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imp

eriled/profiles/

Migratory Bird Treaty Act

– Prohibits killing, capturing, possession,

sale, transportation and exportations of

birds, feathers, eggs and nests

– Nearly every native bird species in the

US is covered

Captive Wildlife- Protected species

Painted bunting

Indigo bunting

Identification

Nonnative snakes

African Rock (left); Burmese (right)- both conditional

African rock python- conditional

Burmese python- conditional

Nonnative snakes

Green anaconda- conditional Reticulated python- conditional

Nonnative snakes

Ball python

Common boa/ red-tail boa

Nonnative lizards

Argentine black & white tegu

Nile monitor- conditional

Savannah monitor

Nonnative amphibians

Cuban tree frog

Cane toad

Nonnative species in Polk County

Argentine black & white tegu

Savannah monitor

Cuban treefrog

Cane toad

Rock pigeon

European starling

Muscovy duck

Green iguana

Tokay gecko

Mediterranean gecko

Ball python

Common boa

Domestic ferret

House sparrow

Monk parakeet

Brahminy blind snake

Panther chameleon

Veiled chameleon

African spurred tortoise

White-nosed coati

Nile monitor

Burmese python

…..

Native snakes

Eastern hognose

Eastern coachwhip

Florida pine snake

Native snakes

Corn snake

Eastern indigo snake

Yellow rat snake

Black racers

Native venomous snakes

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake

Cottonmouths

Native venomous snakes

Coral snake

Dusky pygmy rattlesnake

Canebrake rattlesnake

Copperhead

Nuisance/ conflict wildlife

Nuisance Wildlife Definition

FWC definition 68A-1.004

F.A.C.-

– Causes or about to cause

property damage

– Presents a threat to public

safety

– An annoyance within, under

or upon a building Bobcat, photo curtsey of Laura Bender- Jupiter

Some people define ‘nuisance’ as presence of an unwanted

animal.

Nuisance wildlife rule: 68A-9.010 F.A.C

Allows the ‘take’ of nuisance wildlife by means other than gun

and light*, steel traps*, or poison.

– *Gun and light permit not required for take of non-protected

mammals

– *Steel traps can be used with a permit for otter, beaver,

bobcat, coyote and fox

Nuisance wildlife can be taken on another’s property only with

the landowner’s prior approval.

Gray fox & river otters

Nuisance wildlife rule: 68A-9.010 F.A.C

CANNOT be taken:

– Any ‘listed’ species

– Black bear

– White-tailed deer

– Bats*

– Bobcat*

– Any bird protected under

the Migratory Bird Treaty

Act

Burrowing owl photo curtsey of Ron Bielefeld; bobcat photo curtesy of Laura Bender; pine snake, deer, bear and bonneted bat FWC photos

Types of traps

Live/Cage Trap – Any box style trap

where the animal is completely contained

within the trap

Snare – A trapping device consisting of a

noose designed to capture wildlife.

Steel trap – Any mechanical device*

designed and used to capture wildlife by

seizing and holding a part of the body.

Captured wildlife

Due to relocation laws, most wildlife are euthanized once

captured

State law require humane euthanasia

Some species (hogs, alligators) are harvested

Important to note that relocated wildlife often does not survive

– Stress of capture & transport

– Introduction into new environment

– Member of own species likely already established

– Most wildlife have established territories and will leave new

area

– Relocation facilitates the transfer of disease

Nuisance wildlife rule: 68A-9.010-

Relocation1. The animal is a native species

and

2. The property where the nuisance

animal is to be released is

located within the county of

capture and is a minimum of 40

contiguous acres; and

3. The person releasing the

nuisance wildlife is in

possession, at time of release, of

written permission from the

property owner.

Argentine black & white tegu, FWC Photo

Feeding Rule- Coyote, Fox, Raccoon

68A-1.004 General Prohibitions.

(3) Intentionally placing food or garbage, allowing the placement of

food or garbage, or offering food or garbage in such a manner that it

attracts coyotes, foxes, or raccoons and in a manner that is likely to

create or creates a public nuisance is prohibited.

Quick Rite LLC Alaska-in-pictures.com Boomsbeat.com

Feeding rule- bears(4)(a) Intentionally feeding bears is prohibited.

(b) Placing food or garbage, allowing the placement of food or

garbage, or offering food or garbage that attracts bears and is

likely to create or creates a nuisance is prohibited. No person

shall be assessed a penalty pursuant to this paragraph unless

the person has first been issued a prior written warning for a

violation of this paragraph.

North American Bear Center

Feeding rules (cont.)

•68A-4.001 (4) “The intentional

feeding or placement of food that

attracts pelicans…is prohibited.”

•68A-4.001 (5) “The intentional

feeding of sandhill cranes is

prohibited.”

Feeding rules (cont).

•68A-25.001 “No person shall

intentionally feed, or entice

with feed, any crocodilian…”

•68A-16.002 “No person shall take, feed,

disturb, possess, sell purchase or barter, or

attempt to engage in any such conduct, any

bald eagle or parts thereof, or their nests or

eggs…”

Special programs

Python Patrol Program

Identify, report and capture

pythons

Mostly offered in south Florida

to natural resources workers

Over 1,000 people trained

since 2013

MyFWC.com/Python

Pet Amnesty Program

More than 1,400 nonnative pets

surrendered since 2006

Mission: to prevent and reduce unlawful

releases of nonnative pets

Foster responsible per ownership

through outreach, education and

amnesty events

No questions; can surrender any

nonnative animal

Surrendered animals adopted by

prequalified adopters

One day events throughout the state, or

year-round adoptions through 1-888-

Ive-Got1

Contact information

Reports of violations can be submitted

to the Wildlife Alert Hotline 24/7:

1-888-404-3922

General regulations questions:

– Captive wildlife: 850-488-6253

– FWC SW Regional Office- 863-648-3200

– Nonnative sighting or Pet Amnesty-

1-888-Ive-Got1

Biology questions or identification

help:

– Angeline Scotten-

Angeline.Scotten@myfwc.com

– Sean Greene- Sean.Greene@myfwc.com

Questions?

Photo courtesy of Reinier Munguia